Patrick S Franklin | Tyndale University (original) (raw)

Papers by Patrick S Franklin

Canadian-American Theological Review, 2023

In a recent article published as a blog post (https://jrichardmiddleton. com/2022/12/08/gods-eter... more In a recent article published as a blog post (https://jrichardmiddleton. com/2022/12/08/gods-eternity-and-relationality-in-the-bible-whyi-am-not-a-classical-theist/), J. Richard Middleton explains that he does not regard himself as a "classical theist" due to his inability to reconcile traditional philosophical categories describing God's character with the portrayal of God in Scripture. Middleton explicitly contrasts the biblical portrayal of God's relationality and adaptability with classic categories of divine simplicity and immutability. In this response article, I engage the work of Rowan Williams on Chalcedonian Christology in order to seek clarity on what "classical theism" entails-and does not entail-with respect to divine immutability, simplicity, impassibility, and other divine attributes. Properly understood, the "classical" view safeguards against inadequate theological portraits of both God's transcendence (conceived via abstraction) and God's immanence (conceived via the projection of human experience). "Classical theism" seeks to preserve the deep mystery of God's being, thus applying its insights contextually requires wisdom and precision .

Community: Biblical and Theological Reflections in Honour of August H. Konkel, 2022

This paper engages Bonhoeffer's theological reading of Genesis 1-3, tracing themes related to hum... more This paper engages Bonhoeffer's theological reading of Genesis 1-3, tracing themes related to human community, the breakdown of community, and restoration in Christ. The paper begins with a section that discusses Bonhoeffer's approach to theological interpretation of Scripture in Creation and Fall.

Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 2022

In this article, I aim to show, first, that theodicy tends to be a major motivating factor ground... more In this article, I aim to show, first, that theodicy tends to be a major motivating factor grounding biblical-theological arguments in favor of historicity; and second, that a historical Adam/Fall fails to address adequately the questions theodicy raises. I do not argue here for or against the historicity of Adam; nor do I seek to offer a new theodicy. My intended contribution is more modest: to critique the strong impact that theodicy has on the question of the historicity of Adam/the Fall and to open space for nonhistorical interpretations. I conclude by commending Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s exposition of Gene- sis 1–3 as theologically fruitful.

The missio Dei (mission of God) is theologically grounded in the caritas Dei (love of God). This ... more The missio Dei (mission of God) is theologically grounded in the caritas Dei (love of God). This proper ordering, however, has not always been carefully followed in contemporary discussions about the mission of God (i.e., in the missional church literature). This error potentially reduces the church to a means (instrument) to a functional end (the task of mission, cultural engagement, or activism). To avoid this problem and its consequences, it is important to envision missional ecclesiology as flowing out of a participatory and relational trinitarian theology, in which God’s redemptive mission is grounded more fundamentally in God’s nature as Love. Through God’s mission, we are lovingly drawn into union with Christ and one another by the Spirit, who is the very Love and Gift of God. By virtue of our union with Christ, we then participate in God’s own mission. This involves a threefold economic pattern of human participation in divine activity, and a double movement of grace that takes place in Christ by the Spirit. The God-humanward movement proceeds from the Father through the Son in/by the Spirit, while the human-Godward movement takes place in/by the Spirit through the Son to the Father.

This thesis (ThM, Regent College) explores the question: what are the implications of Dietrich Bo... more This thesis (ThM, Regent College) explores the question: what are the implications of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s ecclesiology for the ecclesiology of the Missional Church Movement? It begins with a discussion of the development of the Missional Church Movement, showing that it built upon the foundational ideas of Lesslie Newbigin regarding the gospel and Western culture. Next, it includes an exposition of the ecclesiology of the Missional Church Movement, followed by an exposition of the ecclesiology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (particularly the relational, Christological, and missional elements of his ecclesiology). Subsequently, the congruencies between Bonhoeffer and the Missional Church Movement are discussed. Finally, a critique of the ecclesiology of the Missional Church Movement is offered, in light of Bonhoeffer’s ecclesiology.
The findings of this paper demonstrate that Bonhoeffer’s ecclesiology supports the Missional Church Movement advocates in their efforts to embody the gospel and to rethink it in light of current cultural shifts. However, Bonhoeffer’s ecclesiology also exposes the following weaknesses in the Missional Church Movement’s conception of the church: i) the methodology employed by the Missional Church Movement is highly contextual and not sufficiently grounded in the Word of God; ii) the movement’s literature emphasizes certain biblical metaphors for the church while neglecting others; iii) in its critique of the North American church, the Missional Church Movement creates or intensifies a number of false dichotomies; iv) by subjugating church to mission, there is a danger of the Missional Church Movement conception leading to an overly functional or task-oriented ecclesiology, in which the church is regarded merely as a means to an end; and v) in its development of a missional ecclesiology, the Missional Church Movement does not sufficiently address multicultural, multiethnic, or minority voices.

This article proposes that a trinitarian eschatological hermeneutic, applied to the doctrine of c... more This article proposes that a trinitarian eschatological hermeneutic, applied to the doctrine of creation, helps us to make sense of evolution theologically. From this perspective, the Holy Spirit incessantly draws creation to the Father’s intended destination for it (new creation) through the cosmic, creative-redemptive work of the Son. This article first develops the proposed hermeneutic in dialogue with scripture and trinitarian theology. It then commends the hermeneutic as a way forward in resolving theologically three important issues in the science-faith dialogue concerning evolution: (1) it avoids both a deistic naturalism/materialism and a crude supernaturalist interventionism with respect to God’s interaction with creation; (2) it provides a rich theology of nature while avoiding the pitfalls of pantheism; and (3) it helps us to account theologically for the existence of death as a naturally occurring phenomenon intrinsic to creation.

Article citation: Patrick Franklin, "Missionaries in Our Own Back Yard: Missional Community as Cu... more Article citation: Patrick Franklin, "Missionaries in Our Own Back Yard: Missional Community as Cultural and Political Engagement in the Writings of Lesslie Newbigin," Didaskalia 25 (Fall, 2015):158-87.

Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Jun 2012

Questioning what it means to be human is perennial, going back millennia. The Psalm often quoted ... more Questioning what it means to be human is perennial, going back millennia. The Psalm often quoted is, "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" (Ps. 8:4, NIV). It is an analytical as well as an existential question, with implications for understanding not only what we are (descriptively) but also what we are to become (ethically) in light of our purpose. 1 In this article, I interact with four recent books that are part of the interdisciplinary discussion of human personhood in contemporary science and theology. My goal is to highlight some of the key issues currently being addressed, identify important points of consensus and disagreement therein, and offer brief theological reflection on the significance of these issues for Christian believers. I will begin with a concise introduction to each book and then identify and discuss four prominent issues concerning human personhood currently being addressed in the literature.

McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry, 2007

This article provides a detailed exposition of the missional features of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's ec... more This article provides a detailed exposition of the missional features of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's ecclesiology. Three major insights are explored. First, the Church engages in mission by proclaiming and embodying the gospel. Secondly, the Church accomplishes its mission by faith, not by "religion." Thirdly, the Church pursues its mission by existing-for-others in a life of costly discipleship and responsible action in the midst of the world.

McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry, 2009

McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry, 2008

Priscilla Papers 22, no. 4, 2008

Patrick S. Franklin, B.a., M.Div., th.M., served as a pastor for several years at chartwell Bapti... more Patrick S. Franklin, B.a., M.Div., th.M., served as a pastor for several years at chartwell Baptist church in Oakville, Ontario. He is currently studying for the Ph.D. at McMaster Divinity college, Hamilton, Ontario.

Asbury Theology Journal (revised, updated), 2008